When performing any inspection or mainte-
nance work on your vehicle, always take care
to prevent serious accidental injury to your-
self or damage to the vehicle. The following
are general precautions which should be
closely observed.
WARNING
∙ Park the vehicle on a level surface, applythe parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing. Move the shift lever to P (Park).
∙ Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
∙ If you must work with the engine running, keep your hands, clothing, hair and tools
away from moving fans, belts and any
other moving parts.
∙ It is advisable to secure or remove any loose clothing and remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before work-
ing on your vehicle.
∙ Always wear eye protection whenever you work on your vehicle. ∙ Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition switch is in the OFF position and
the engine is not running. To avoid injury,
always disconnect the negative battery
cable before working near the fan.
∙ If you must run the engine in an enclosed space such as a garage, be sure there is
proper ventilation for exhaust gases to
escape.
∙ Never get under the vehicle while it is supported only by a jack. If it is necessary
to work under the vehicle, support it with
safety stands.
∙ Keep smoking materials, flame and sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
∙ Because the fuel lines on gasoline engine models are under high pressure even
when the engine is off, it is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for ser-
vice of the fuel filter or fuel lines.
CAUTION
∙ Do not work under the hood while theengine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down. ∙ Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine oil,
engine coolant and/or other vehicle flu-
ids can damage the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for disposal
of vehicle fluid.
∙ Never leave the engine or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) related
component harnesses disconnected
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
∙ Never connect or disconnect the battery or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
This “Do-it-yourself” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine INFINITI service manual is also
available. For additional information, refer to
“Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order in-
formation” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or im-
proper servicing may result in operating diffi-
culties or excessive emissions, and could af-
fect warranty coverage. If in doubt about any
servicing, it is recommended that you have it
done by an INFINITI retailer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself
VQ35DD engine
1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine coolant reservoir
3. Drive belt location
4. Fuse box
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Brake fluid reservoir
7. Air cleaner
8. Fuse box
9. Fuse/Fusible link box
10. Battery
11. Engine oil dipstick
12. Radiator cap
13. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
NOTE:
Some engine covers removed for clarity.
LDI3131
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3
The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) and 50% water to
provide year-round antifreeze and coolant
protection. The antifreeze solution contains
rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional en-
gine cooling system additives are not neces-
sary.
WARNING
∙ Never remove the radiator or coolantreservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator cool
down. Serious burns could be caused by
high pressure fluid escaping from the ra-
diator. For additional information on
precautions, refer to “If your vehicle
overheats” found in the “In case of emer-
gency” section of this manual.
∙ The radiator is equipped with a pressure type radiator cap. To prevent engine
damage, use only a Genuine NISSAN ra-
diator cap.
CAUTION
∙ Never use any cooling system additivessuch as radiator sealer. Additives may
clog the cooling system and cause dam-
age to the engine, transmission and/or
cooling system.
∙ When adding or replacing coolant, be sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted
to provide antifreeze protection to -34°
F (-37° C). If additional freeze protection
is needed due to weather where you op-
erate your vehicle, add Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) con-
centrate following the directions on the
container. If an equivalent coolant other
than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is used, follow
the coolant manufacturer’s instructions
to maintain minimum antifreeze protec-
tion to -34° F (-37° C). The use of other
types of coolant solutions other than
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent
may damage the engine cooling system. ∙ The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000 km)
or 7 years. Mixing any other type of cool-
ant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue), including
Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green), or the use of
non-distilled water will reduce the life
expectancy of the factory-fill coolant.
For additional information, refer to the
“Maintenance and schedules” section of
this manual.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-4Do-it-yourself
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir when
the engine is cold. If the coolant level is below
the MIN level
B, add coolant to the MAX
level
A. If the reservoir is empty, check the
coolant level in the radiator when the engine
is cold. If there is insufficient coolant in the
radiator, fill the radiator with coolant up to
the filler opening and also add it to the reser-
voir up to the MAX level
A. This vehicle contains Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue). The life ex-
pectancy of the factory-fill coolant is
105,000 miles (168,000 km) or 7 years.
Mixing any other type of coolant or the use of
non-distilled water will reduce the life expec-
tancy of the factory-fill coolant. For addi-
tional information, refer to the "Maintenance
and schedules" section of this manual.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
For additional information on the location of
the engine coolant reservoir, refer to “Engine
compartment check locations” in this section.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
An INFINITI retailer can change the engine
coolant. The service procedure can be found
in the INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheating.
WARNING
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the en-
gine is hot.
∙ Never remove the radiator or engine coolant reservoir cap when the engine is
hot. Serious burns could be caused by
high pressure fluid escaping from the
radiator.
∙ Avoid direct skin contact with used cool- ant. If skin contact is made, wash thor-
oughly with soap or hand cleaner as soon
as possible.
∙ Keep coolant out of the reach of children and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
LDI2860
Do-it-yourself8-5
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface andapply the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches operating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than
10 minutes for the oil to drain back into
the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Reinsert it all the way. 5. Remove the dipstick again and check the
oil level. It should be between the H
(High) and L (Low) marksB. This is the
normal operating oil level range. If the oil
level is below the L (Low) mark
A, re-
move the oil filler cap and pour recom-
mended oil through the opening. Do not
fill oil level above H (High) mark
C.
6. Recheck the oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil main-
tenance intervals or during the break-in pe-
riod, depending on the severity of operating
conditions.
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly. Oper-
ating the engine with an insufficient
amount of oil can damage the engine, and
such damage is not covered by warranty.
LDI3014WDI0214
ENGINE OIL
8-6Do-it-yourself
CHANGING ENGINE OIL
WARNING
∙ Prolonged and repeated contact withused engine oil may cause skin cancer. ∙ Try to avoid direct skin contact with used
oil. If skin contact is made, wash thor-
oughly with soap or hand cleaner as soon
as possible.
∙ Keep used engine oil out of reach of children.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The engine
oil may be hot.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches operating temperature, then
turn it off.
3. Remove the oil filler cap
Aby turning it
counterclockwise.
4. Place a large drain pan under the drain plug
B.
5. Remove the drain plug
Bwith a wrench
by turning it counterclockwise and com-
pletely drain the oil.
If the oil filter is to be changed, remove
and replace it at this time. For additional
information, refer to “Changing engine
oil filter” in this section. ∙
Waste oil must be disposed of properly.
∙ Check your local regulations.
6. Clean and reinstall the drain plug and a new washer. Securely tighten the drain
plug with a wrench. Do not use excessive
force.
Drain plug tightening torque: 25 ft-lb (34 N·m)
7. Refill engine with recommended oil through the oil filler opening, then install
the oil filler cap securely.
For additional information on drain and
refill capacity, refer to “Recommended
fluids/lubricants and capacities” in the
“Technical and consumer information”
section of this manual.
The drain and refill capacity depends on
the oil temperature and drain time. Use
these specifications for reference only.
Always use the dipstick to determine
when the proper amount of oil is in the
engine.
8. Start the engine. Check for leakage around the drain plug and oil filter. Cor-
rect as required.LDI3013
Do-it-yourself8-7
9. Turn the engine off and wait more than10 minutes. Check the oil level with the
dipstick. Add engine oil if necessary.
CHANGING ENGINE OIL FILTER
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the engine off. 3. Place a large drain pan under the oil filter
B.
4. Remove pins
Afrom the right engine
protector located inside right wheel well,
remove protector. Remove oil filter
B
with an oil filter wrench by turning it
counterclockwise. Then remove the oil
filter by turning it by hand.
CAUTION
Be careful not to burn yourself. The engine
oil may be hot.
5. Wipe the engine oil filter sealing surface with a clean rag.
CAUTION
∙ Be sure to remove any old gasket ma-terial remaining on the sealing surface
of the engine. Failure to do so could
lead to an oil leak and engine damage.
∙ The dipstick must be inserted in place to prevent oil spillage from the dipstick
hole when filling the engine with oil.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean engine oil.
LDI2562
8-8Do-it-yourself
7. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resis-tance is felt, then tighten an additional
2/3 turn.
8. Start the engine and check for leakage around the oil filter. Correct as required.
9. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level. Add en-
gine oil if necessary.CAUTION
∙ INFINITI recommends using GenuineNISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 (or equivalent)
ONLY in INFINITI CVTs. Do not mix with
other fluids.
∙ Do not use Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) or Manual transmission fluid in an
INFINITI CVT, as it may damage the CVT.
Damage caused by the use of fluids other
than as recommended is not covered un-
der INFINITI’s New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
∙ Using fluids that are not equivalent to Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 may
also damage the CVT. Damage caused by
the use of fluids other than as recom-
mended is not covered under INFINITI’s
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
When checking or replacement of CVT fluid is
required, we recommend an INFINITI retailer
for servicing. Check the fluid level in the reservoir.
The fluid level should be checked when the
fluid is cold at fluid temperatures of 32 to
86ºF (0 to 30ºC). The fluid level can be
checked with the level gauge which is at-
tached to the cap. To check the fluid level,
remove the cap. The fluid level should be
between the MAX
Aand MINBlines.
If the fluid is below the MIN
Bline, add
Genuine NISSAN E-PSF or equivalent. Re-
move the cap and fill through the opening.
LDI2861
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUID POWER STEERING FLUID
Do-it-yourself8-9